LEVITICUS

What do you see in this book that tells you about the original readers?
The readers are the Israelites when Moses had led them out of Egypt into the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land..

What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

Mostly in this book is spoken by God, but the Bible Maps and charts says that the content of the book itself points strongly to Moses as the human author. The content covers a period of one month during the latter part of the Israelites living at Sinai.

What are the main themes, and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the “Main Idea”.

God gives instructions to His people how to live (sanctification). He established 7 different types of offerings – with very detailed instructions. He wants His people to be different from all other nations (18:2-5) 

And He wants them to know Him as the one, true, living God who wants his people to be holy and clean because He is holy and he can not have community with them if not also they are holy (20:8).

A one sentence summary of the main Idea is: Be Holy, because I am Holy (11:44-45).

                                                      

What is the primary reason this book was written?

God wanted the Israelites to have fellowship with Him and with each other. There for He gave them instructions for how they – as unholy people – can acceptably approach Him through blood sacrifice. He also gave them laws that show how they can have a accetable community with God through sanctification (18:1).

Leviticus is also a manual for priesthood.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

This book shows that God is Holy. (11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7 20:26) To be Holy means: perfect, separated, different,  pure, be whole, be complete, be accepted, be refined, without sins.

God who is holy, wants to have community with us - who are not holy.
The law and the different types of offerings give the people a possibility two approach God and show how it is possible to live holy lives.

What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?

In Levitucus God speaks to Moses, and we find Moses as mediator, showing how people could come into fellowship with God. Therefore, Moses is a foreshadow of Christ, who is the "one mediator between God and men" (1 Timothy 2:5), and "the mediator of a new covenant," which was established through the shedding of his own blood in atonement sacrifice (Heb. 8.6, 9.15, 12.24).

Personal Application:

The image I have of God in the NT is in many ways very different from the picture I have of God in the Old Testament. During this week I have got a deeper understanding of that God is just as angry and hateful of sin in the New Testament as I see Him in the Old Testament - because of his holiness. But I can see one  difference: Jesus Christ - who is the scapegoat and atoning all kinds of sins!

When I am thinking of that God's holiness – which causes the anger that sparked so much blood and punishment in the Old Testament - is the same anger that struck Jesus, I have got a deeper understanding of what pain this was for Jesus as he hung on the cross as an atoning sacrifice, and cried out: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34).

This creates a tremendous gratitude to Jesus Christ in me - who was willing to take the punishment for me that I might go free!

 

Point of passion:

As mentioned earlier I have chosen the Shan–people in Thailand as my POP. I have resently heard from my nephew there that he will arrange a Christmas-festival among these people – but this will cost a lot of money.

After our teacher has challenged us to make a sacrifice as a part of our homework, my wife and I have prayed about what we shall do in this connection. And we have agreed that we now will support our nephew with a fairly large amount to make it possible to arrange this Christmas-festival.

I think this also fits good to what we have learned about this week when reading about so many festivals in Leviticus.